Over the span of the last four decades, The Flaming Lips have more than perfected the ‘music to take drugs to’ genre. That doesn’t mean that every one of their songs comes with a guarantee to rip your face off, though. So when your friend Greg acquires a shitload of shrooms, books a weekend at a cabin for you and your friends, and it comes time to fire up your Bluetooth speaker; stay far far away from the following tracks.
“Guy Who Got A Headache and Accidentally Saves the World”
Chances are, something to the effect of this song’s title is going to wind up in your phone’s notes app under the header “MILLION DOLLAR MOVIE IDEA” right around peak time. Your friends will be so pumped about this that they’ll develop a fourteen-character cast and several subplots. The undertones will be heavy as fuck and will make you think about, like, the whole ‘thing’ of existence, man. Greg’s even going to start making a poster for it before getting distracted and slowly rubbing paint all over everyone’s faces. Why spoil the fun with a lengthy and frank discussion about intellectual property rights? Best to skip this one so you can linger in the illusion of your own brilliance a little longer.
“The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song”
No doubt this one is fun, but it’s basically just a list of all the inane “what if?” questions that will likely spring up around 4 a.m. anyway. Some of these inquiries have the potential to greatly sour the evening. Imagine finding out early in the night that one of your friends would definitely make everybody poor so they could be rich. That’s certainly enough to make any trip a volatile and troubling experience, so try your best not to actively encourage it with this track.
“Do You Realize??”
Most people on a good trip would love to be told they have the “most beautiful face.” It’s an incredible compliment and never fails to heighten a great buzz. Very few, however, like to be reminded that all of their friends and family will eventually perish, leaving them alone in a cruel and unforgiving world. While we understand this song is ultimately about radiating love in spite of this grim fact, we guarantee you and your party will be far too spiraled out to acknowledge the sentiment once it arrives.
“The Spiderbite Song”
Under no circumstances should you ever mention spiders, let alone their bites, at a function like this. Unless, of course, you plan on spending your entire evening being startled as fuck by anything that brushes up against you. This song not only makes that fatal error within the literal first verse while escalating it to the point of a fucking heart attack, but it also mentions a car crash and a devastating breakup. While frontman, Wayne Coyne, is glad these things didn’t destroy their subjects, you may not fare so well even if you just microdosed.
“U.F.O Story”
A monologue track from Wayne is usually a treat, but in the context of getting absolutely zooted, it can be a total fucking nightmare. This one details a time in which Coyne and a few friends spotted a formation of U.F.Os. It is highly unlikely you’ll get through the first ten seconds without one or more of your buds attempting to either interrupt or converse with Wayne as if he were actually in the room. The resulting sensory overload will lay waste to your entire night and possibly up to five of your closest friendships.
“Mother I’ve Taken LSD”
The last thing you want to think about after taking mushrooms is the possibility of having accidentally taken LSD instead. It’s a sick vibe, for sure, but not the one anyone at the cabin is hoping to achieve this weekend. Furthermore, the last last LAST thing you want to think about after taking mushrooms is your mother… or the overbearing sadness that smothers the entire world. Hell, we’re sober at the time of this writing and still not in the best place after revisiting this one.
“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2”
We’re not sure how to adequately describe this song in print, but you’ll probably think it tastes like the color red. An angry red. When the first snare roll comes in, you and your friends will be forgiven for thinking the floor under your collective feet has been slowly turning into jagged glass. The screams that immediately follow the drum break will have you all wanting to run to the windows to see what’s happening until you suddenly remember… the floor is glass now. Eventually you’ll reach to skip the song only to find that your phone is somehow right next to you, but also four crystalized football fields away. In other words; play “Pt. 1” instead.
“She Don’t Use Jelly”
Mushrooms do a number on your sensory perception. Usually to strong and dazzling effects. Because of this, it’s best not to introduce imagery of Vaseline being used in lieu of jelly on toast. Nothing is going to taste right come snack time. Also, tangerines will not work as hair dye no matter how great of an idea your faded ass thinks it is. Heed our advice and don’t wake up all sticky.
“The Terror”
“The Terror” is a nine-movement-long hellscape meant to be perceived as one singular song. It was written as a means for Coyne to cope through a simultaneous divorce and mid-life crisis. If that isn’t enough to turn you away, fine. Just note that this dissonant, arrhythmic, 55-minute-long nightmare of a track should only be listened to if you’re attempting to turn the walls into bees, your cells into tiny needles, and your friends into enemies. This is without mentioning what the inside of your brain will become when all is said and done.
“Sleeping On The Roof”
Everyone loves to stargaze when the effects of psilocybin kick in and start making their visual fields of perception all wiggly and shit. Still, zoning out at a considerable height with little to no guardrails is highly inadvisable. Let’s not forget the time when Greg made the unfortunate choice to pass out in a similar fashion at your last cabin trip. You spent the whole next day at the hospital with him. Nothing wrong with being a good friend, but talk about a buzzkill.